Generally, vehicles have been trending towards quieter cabin spaces for the customer. With this trend of isolation from outside conditions, a vehicle operator and/or passenger may not be aware of sirens relating to emergency vehicles or noises indicating traffic situations ahead. Also, because these sounds may be generally instantaneous and indicate a need to yield to emergency vehicles or to address adverse conditions ahead, the vehicle operator will have a need for time to mentally and physically react. There is a need for sensing ambient vehicle-noise conditions for sounds associated with hazards, and to selectively provide an announcement of such sounds so that a vehicle operator, or a vehicle under autonomous operation, may respond accordingly.